The purpose of this protocol is to study the role of IgE-binding protein, now known as galectin-3, in allergic inflammation. Existing data suggest that galectin-3 may be an amplifier of imflammation. This protein is expressed in various inflammatory cells and our hypothesis is that galectin-3 is upregulated in individuals with allergic diseases as a result of stimulation by various imflammatory mediators. The protocol cosists of two specific aims. The first deals with the quantitation of the level of galectin-3 in sera of patients with allergic diseases, including asthma and atopic dermatitis, and the second concerns the analysis of the expression of galectin-3 in inflammatory cells from patients with allergic diseases.